No salt? No problem, with this zesty soup

This simple soup with no added salt exceeded our flavor expectations. It would make a nice starter or a light main course on a weeknight, accompanied by hummus and pita chips.

Bonnie S. Benwick

This simple soup with no added salt exceeded our flavor expectations. It would make a nice starter or a light main course on a weeknight, accompanied by hummus and pita chips.

We suggest garnishing it with toasted chopped hazelnuts or fried/frizzled shallots. Adapted from "Low-Salt Cookbook: A Complete Guide to Reducing Sodium and Fat in Your Diet, 4th Edition," by the American Heart Association (Clarkson Potter, 2013).

Thai Sweet Potato Soup

Makes a generous 4 cups (two or three servings).

2 teaspoons corn or canola oil

One 14-ounce sweet potato

1 small onion

1 medium clove garlic

1 lime

3 cups no-salt-added vegetable broth

1/2 to 1 teaspoon Thai red curry paste

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat, swirling to coat the bottom. Meanwhile, peel the sweet potato, then coarsely chop it into pieces of approximately equal size. Coarsely chop the onion; mince the garlic. Cut the lime crosswise in half. Add the onion to the saucepan and stir to coat with the oil. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring often, then add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring. Stir in the broth and the sweet potato. Once the mixture comes to a boil, reduce the heat to medium, cover and cook for about 15 minutes; the sweet potato should be quite tender. Remove from the heat and stir in 1/2 teaspoon of the curry paste. Transfer half of the mixture to a blender. Remove the knob in the center of the lid (so steam can escape). Place a paper towel over the opening. Puree until smooth, then squeeze in 1 1/2 teaspoons of lime juice. Pulse to incorporate, then transfer to a container large enough to hold all the soup. Repeat with the remaining soup mixture and another 1 1/2 teaspoons of lime juice. Transfer to the bowl. Taste, and stir in some or all of the remaining curry paste, as needed. Divide between or among individual bowls. Serve warm. Nutrition per serving (based on 3): 150 calories, 2 g protein, 28 g carbohydrates, 3 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 330 mg sodium, 4 g dietary fiber, 7 g sugar.